A Computational Framework to Support Social Entrepreneurs in Creating Value for Rural Communities in India

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abhishek Yadav ◽  
Ashok K. Das ◽  
Janet K. Allen ◽  
Farrokh Mistree
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Resource Depletion ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Computational Framework ◽  
Value Propositions ◽  
Basic Services ◽  
Corporate Social

Abstract Over 250 million people in India currently lack access to basic services needed to live a rudimentary lifestyle. Most of these people reside in rural parts of the country. Lack of employment, economic opportunities, and development in rural areas are foundational to low socio-economic levels in these communities. Added to this are environmental issues such as natural resource depletion, yearlong droughts, climate change. We hypothesize that social enterprises developed at the community level can improve the quality of life of people in rural India. The lack of access to investment and resources to identify and develop social enterprises are major challenges for the creation of social enterprises. We hypothesize that a successful partnership between two major stakeholders, namely, social entrepreneurs and corporate social responsibility (CSR) investors is the key in developing multiple social enterprises to foster rural development. However, CSR and other investors require quantitative information along with impact evaluation of the value proposition before investing. Social entrepreneurs lack tools to develop and present value propositions for the village in a quantitative form. In this paper, we propose a computational framework to fill this gap and to facilitate dialog between CSR investors and social entrepreneurs that may result in a mutually favorable investment.

scholarly journals Analysis of Financial Support Instruments for Social Enterprises in Latvia

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (340) ◽  
pp. 76-84
Author(s):  
Lasma Licite-Kurbe ◽  
Dana Gintere
Keyword(s):  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Financial Support ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Tax Relief ◽  
Grant Scheme

Abstract Social enterprises have positive effect on sustainable development, and they have become an important instrument for solving social problems (especially in rural areas), as the national and local governments alone cannot solve all such problems. To foster the development of social entrepreneurship, Latvia has introduced several support instruments for social enterprises, which include tax relief, privileged procurement contracts, grants, as well as non-monetary kinds of support. However, social entrepreneurs often point out that support from the national and local governments is insufficient, while the support instruments stipulated in the Social Enterprise Law are not widely used. Therefore, the aim of the research is to analyse national and local government support instruments for social enterprises in Latvia. The research found that the most important financial instrument fostering the development of social entrepreneurship in Latvia is a grant scheme administered by the Ministry of Welfare and the JSC Development Finance Institution Altum, which is available in the range of EUR 5000 to 200000 for investment and working capital. In the period 2017-2020, 94 social entrepreneurship projects with a total budget of EUR 6 million were supported, which could be viewed as significant financial support. In contrast, immovable property tax relief, exemption from enterprise income tax (on profits) and relief from this tax for several categories of non-business expenses are considered by social entrepreneurs to be an insignificant kind of support. There is also lack of experience and practice regarding the inclusion of social criteria in public procurement in Latvia.

Legitimacy Acquisition and Social Enterprises

2013 ◽  
pp. 405-416
Author(s):  
Kowtha Rao ◽  
Rajesh Rajaguru
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
The State ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Multiple Stakeholders ◽  
Entrepreneurial Organization ◽  
Conflicting Interests ◽  
Corporate Social

Social enterprises typically are founded to fulfill social objectives that are underserved by the state and the private sector. Social enterprise sustainability often hinges on the continuing legitimation by multiple stakeholders who may have conflicting interests. Without such legitimacy, the enterprise will neither attract resources to sustain itself, nor will it be able to serve its constituents according to its original mission. Several authors on corporate social opportunity and social enterprise have recognized legitimacy as essential for the organization. However, few have examined how social enterprises establish socio-political, pragmatic, normative, and cognitive legitimacy. In this chapter, the authors explore the question of legitimacy acquisition by social enterprises founded and managed by social entrepreneurs. The chapter presents three cases of social enterprise in India, which serve in agriculture, healthcare, and housing. The case studies demonstrate that the process of legitimacy acquisition for a social enterprise parallels that of a profit-oriented entrepreneurial organization with some significant differences. Implications for legitimacy and sustainability of social enterprise are discussed.

scholarly journals Building Sustainable Rural Communities through Indigenous Social Enterprises: A Humanistic Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 9643
Author(s):  
Mario Vázquez-Maguirre
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Humanistic Management ◽  
Decent Work ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs

This article follows a humanistic management approach to analyze how indigenous social enterprises contribute to building sustainable rural communities. To this end, I first explore the process of how these entities were formed and developed the necessary capabilities to generate such outcomes. Then, I examine the strategies indigenous social enterprises create to engage in value creation activities with the community and their main outcomes. Such outcomes are finally classified by the problems they addressed according to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), since one of the gaps in the literature indicates a lack of studies that relate specific SDGs with the outcomes of social enterprises in developing countries. This article follows a qualitative approach, a case study research strategy, and uses semi-structured interviews as the main data collection instrument. Evidence from four cases of indigenous social enterprises in Latin America suggests that these entities originate as a result of a major crisis that affects the dignity of the individuals and compromises the socio-economic dynamics of the communities. Second, local leadership urges a response that takes the form of a social enterprise that follows local principles and governance and pursues dignity protection, sustainability, and cultural reaffirmation. As a result, the communities have increased their levels of well-being and sustainability, linked to SDGs such as good health, decent work, reduced inequalities, public infrastructure, sustainable communities, and partnerships for the goals. This article also sheds light on how a humanistic management approach can contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of social enterprises, as these humanistic principles and practices seem to be naturally promoted by social entrepreneurs.

scholarly journals Corporate Social Responsibility as Core Competence for the Business Model of Social Start-Ups in the Netherlands

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Herman T. Wevers ◽  
Cosmina L. Voinea
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Business Model ◽  
Core Competence ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Business Case ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Start Ups

Little is known about how social enterprises and social start-ups compete with the bigger players on the market. It could be reasoned that social start-ups gain an advantage by the deployment of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) elements from the early beginning as a part of their core competences. The aim of this paper is to investigate if CSR elements can be a core competence and how they can contribute to the robustness of the business models of social start-ups. Data was gathered by conducting a case study and interviewing four social entrepreneurs in the first half of 2017. The data was analyzed with the help of a framework built upon the CSR pyramid, the business case for CSR and the Canvas business model. The main findings show that the CSR elements economic, ethical and discretionary responsibilities can be a core competence for social start-ups. Moreover, CSR elements can play an important role in the design of social business models. Especially the deployment of interrelationships between the CSR elements seems to be effective in designing a robust  business model of a social start-up.

Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship

2019 ◽  
pp. 92-114
Author(s):  
Muhsin F. Bayik
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
New Product Development ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Customer Development

This chapter introduces social innovation, social entrepreneurship, corporate social responsibility, corporate social entrepreneurship, and new product development and argues that social entrepreneurs can utilize from the customer development process when working on a novel solution to create social and economic value. Social entrepreneurs can team up with companies for creating sustainable solutions for the society. Companies can integrate corporate social entrepreneurship into their strategies. City administrations can support social enterprises. The conclusion briefly describes possible weaknesses, limitations, and challenges for social innovation and social entrepreneurship.

The role of social entrepreneurs in developing community resilience in remote areas

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Morrison ◽  
Elaine Ramsey ◽  
Derek Bond
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Community Resilience ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Economic Resilience ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Remote Areas

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the processes whereby social entrepreneurs can contribute to community resilience and sustainability. Design/methodology/approach The study used a qualitative case study approach with 15 island communities located off the north and west coasts of Scotland and who were engaged in the development and implementation of renewable energy initiatives. Findings Peripheral communities provide an environment where entrepreneurial activities can flourish. Through a model of social enterprise, they were able to develop the necessary mechanisms to increase socio-economic resilience. The study indicates the importance of social capital in this process. Research limitations/implications External networks provide part of the framework to overcome market imperfections caused by distance and remoteness so that social entrepreneurs can develop their ability to build resilience and sustainability. More research is needed on how this framework can be utilised. Social implications In spite of the challenges presented in remote areas, these communities have shown the ability to adapt. This is an important component of resilience building. Originality/value This paper makes a unique contribution to the knowledge base through the interconnected concepts of social entrepreneurship and social capital. It provides new empirical insights into social enterprises and describes the mechanisms that help to build resilient rural communities in the context of renewable energy endeavours.

Libraries as Portal for Knowledge Driven Rural Community Development Cases from Botswana

2011 ◽  
pp. 34-41
Author(s):  
Rebecca Lekoko ◽  
Josephine Modise-Jankie ◽  
Christopher Busang
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Appropriate Technology ◽  
Communication Program ◽  
Basic Services ◽  
Telecommunications Services ◽  
The Government ◽  
Set Up

Realizing that the rural communities lag behind with information that can help improve their lives, the government has set up the Rural Communication Program (RCP) with a goal “to provide telecommunications services to the rural areas in the most cost effective, efficient, logical and transparent manner possible” (Ministry of Communication Science and Technology, 2006, p. 14). Among specific objectives of the Rural Communications Program (RCP) is using appropriate technology to provide services, and in this case, the Internet or computers have been used to augment information found in local libraries. The Botswana Long Term Vision 2016 stipulates as a challenge the need to ensure that all people in Botswana especially those in the rural areas or those who need special assistance, receive the same benefits, and achieve their maximum potential, and RCP is the main foundation on which efforts for availing information that reaches the rural communities are based. Rural here refers to isolated and poorly served communities. These are communities where the government has identified that essential and basic services are required as part of its social obligation and mandate to integrate these areas into economic and social development of the nation. While these communities are of interest in this chapter, the chapter draws some cases from urban places because Internet connectivity in the rural areas of Botswana is still a problem.

TURNING FARMERS INTO SOCIAL FARMER ENTREPRENEURS FOR DISADVANTAGED PEOPLE

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Remus Runcan
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Physical Work ◽  
Healthy Environment ◽  
Rural And Urban Areas ◽  
Rural Development Programme ◽  
Rural And Urban

According to Romania’s National Rural Development Programme, the socio-economic situation of the rural environment has a large number of weaknesses – among which low access to financial resources for small entrepreneurs and new business initiatives in rural areas and poorly developed entrepreneurial culture, characterized by a lack of basic managerial knowledge – but also a large number of opportunities – among which access of the rural population to lifelong learning and entrepreneurial skills development programmes and entrepreneurs’ access to financial instruments. The population in rural areas depends mainly on agricultural activities which give them subsistence living conditions. The gap between rural and urban areas is due to low income levels and employment rates, hence the need to obtain additional income for the population employed in subsistence and semi-subsistence farming, especially in the context of the depopulation trend. At the same time, the need to stimulate entrepreneurship in rural areas is high and is at a resonance with the need to increase the potential of rural communities from the perspective of landscape, culture, traditional activities and local resources. A solution could be to turn vegetal and / or animal farms into social farms – farms on which people with disabilities (but also adolescents and young people with anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicide, and alexithymia issues) might find a “foster” family, bed and meals in a natural, healthy environment, and share the farm’s activities with the farmer and the farmer’s family: “committing to a regular day / days and times for a mutually agreed period involves complying with any required health and safety practices (including use of protective clothing and equipment), engaging socially with the farm family members and other people working on and around the farm, and taking on tasks which would include working on the land, taking care of animals, or helping out with maintenance and other physical work”

Qualitative simulation and related approaches for the analysis of dynamic systems

2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
HIDDE DE JONG
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Dynamic Systems ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Simulation Methods ◽  
Science And Engineering ◽  
Computational Framework ◽  
Combinatorial Explosion ◽  
Qualitative Simulation ◽  
Qualitative Phase ◽  
Made In

Methods for qualitative simulation allow predictions on the dynamics of a system to be made in the absence of quantitative information, by inferring the range of possible qualitative behaviors compatible with the structure of the system. This article reviews QSIM and other qualitative simulation methods. It discusses two problems that have seriously compromised the application of these methods to realistic problems in science and engineering: the occurrence of spurious behavior predictions and the combinatorial explosion of the number of behavior predictions. In response to these problems, related approaches for the qualitative analysis of dynamic systems have emerged: qualitative phase-space analysis and semi-quantitative simulation. The article argues for a synthesis of these approaches in order to obtain a computational framework for the qualitative analysis of dynamic systems. This should provide a solid basis for further upscaling and for the development of model-based reasoning applications of a wider scope.

scholarly journals Tackling Rural Health, Energy, … and Technological Issues All at Once: A Call for a Global Interdisciplinary Platform for Strengthening Rural Setting Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

Challenges ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Farshad Amiraslani
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Rural Health ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Rural Setting ◽  
Global Challenges ◽  
Rural Settings ◽  
Research Studies

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has revealed flaws in rural settings where most people live without the necessary tools, income, and knowledge to tackle such unprecedented global challenges. Here, I argue that despite the research studies conducted on rural areas, these have not solved rising rural issues, notably poverty and illiteracy. I propound a global institute to be formed by governments that provides a platform for empowering rural communities through better training, skills, and competencies. Such global endeavour will ensure the remaining rural communities withstand future pandemics if they occur.

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